Foreign Minister Steinmeier is greatly saddened by the news from China about the terrible cruise ship disaster in Hubei in which several hundred people are still missing, many of whom are feared to have drowned.

We wish the security forces every success in their search for the missing and extend our heartfelt condolences to the families of the victims.

Background information:

A major cruise ship disaster occurred yesterday evening (1 June) on the Yangtze River between Nanjing and Chongqing in the province of Hubei when the river cruise ship the Oriental Star was capsized by a cyclone with 458 people on board. The rescue operation is still under way.